Staging
v0.5.1
https://github.com/python/cpython
Revision 550e4673be538d98b6ddf5550b3922539cf5c4b2 authored by Victor Stinner on 08 December 2020, 23:32:54 UTC, committed by GitHub on 08 December 2020, 23:32:54 UTC
pymain_run_startup() now pass the filename as a Python object to
_PyRun_SimpleFileObject().
1 parent 98a5417
Raw File
Tip revision: 550e4673be538d98b6ddf5550b3922539cf5c4b2 authored by Victor Stinner on 08 December 2020, 23:32:54 UTC
bpo-32381: Add _PyRun_SimpleFileObject() (GH-23709)
Tip revision: 550e467
installed.rst
=============================================
"Why is Python Installed on my Computer?" FAQ
=============================================

What is Python?
---------------

Python is a programming language.  It's used for many different applications.
It's used in some high schools and colleges as an introductory programming
language because Python is easy to learn, but it's also used by professional
software developers at places such as Google, NASA, and Lucasfilm Ltd.

If you wish to learn more about Python, start with the `Beginner's Guide to
Python <https://wiki.python.org/moin/BeginnersGuide>`_.


Why is Python installed on my machine?
--------------------------------------

If you find Python installed on your system but don't remember installing it,
there are several possible ways it could have gotten there.

* Perhaps another user on the computer wanted to learn programming and installed
  it; you'll have to figure out who's been using the machine and might have
  installed it.
* A third-party application installed on the machine might have been written in
  Python and included a Python installation.  There are many such applications,
  from GUI programs to network servers and administrative scripts.
* Some Windows machines also have Python installed.  At this writing we're aware
  of computers from Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that include Python.  Apparently
  some of HP/Compaq's administrative tools are written in Python.
* Many Unix-compatible operating systems, such as Mac OS X and some Linux
  distributions, have Python installed by default; it's included in the base
  installation.


Can I delete Python?
--------------------

That depends on where Python came from.

If someone installed it deliberately, you can remove it without hurting
anything.  On Windows, use the Add/Remove Programs icon in the Control Panel.

If Python was installed by a third-party application, you can also remove it,
but that application will no longer work.  You should use that application's
uninstaller rather than removing Python directly.

If Python came with your operating system, removing it is not recommended.  If
you remove it, whatever tools were written in Python will no longer run, and
some of them might be important to you.  Reinstalling the whole system would
then be required to fix things again.

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